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The newest appointee to the West Virginia Board of Education has a long history in school choice.
John Paul was named to the board on Wednesday. He is a former executive director of the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board and Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s choice to help lead an agenda of education reform across the state – targeting both financial struggles and poor academic performance.
“We need to improve what’s going on in education. We need to improve the oversight. We need to be laser focused on helping our kids, and that’s why I’m so excited to announce that I’m appointing Dr. James Paul to the West Virginia State Board of Education,” Morrisey said during a press conference Wednesday.
“Dr. Paul brings deep experience in education policy, a commitment to accountability,” Morrisey said.
Paul has a doctorate in Education Policy from the University of Arkansas. Most recently, Paul has been director of State Education Opportunity for America First Policy Institute. Paul said his priorities now start with simple, uncomplicated rules.
“Strong standards that support civic virtue, civic values, civic excellence in our kids. Of course, high standards, academic standards that promote academic excellence for our kids,” Paul said. He added that stewardship of taxpayer funds and oversight of those funds are also on the list.
“Something that has not been mentioned yet, but it’s very important to me, is looking to Washington, particularly this administration in Washington, to take advantage of opportunities for flexibility from federal rules, regulations,” Paul said.
“Washington is telling the states you can get flexibility. There are ways to make things run more efficiently,” he added.
Paul replaces the board’s longest-serving member, Debra Sullivan, who retired in October.